Improvement in steam governors



ROBERT SANDERSON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 64,712, dated .May 14, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM GOVERNORS.

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T0 ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CONOERN:

Be it known that I, R. SANDERSON, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Governor Valves, dto. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, vreference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, Plate I, is a front View of the apparatus with the valve closed.

Figure 2 is a front view with the ports open.

Figure 3 is also a front view.

Figure 4 presents a side view of the apparatus.

Figure l, Plate II, is a vertical section of the chamber and valves.

Figure 2 is an end View of the valve and seat.

Figure 3 is a view of the opposite side of tig. 2.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.

In tig. 1, Plate II, A is the steam or valve-chamber, into which the steam is admitted through the inductionv pipe B, and from which it passes, through the eduction pipe D, into the cylinder upon which the apparatus stands. E, figs. 2 and 3, is the valve-seat, and which is titted to and projected into the chamber, as shown in iig. 1, and secured to the same by the flange F. This valve-seat is hollow, and communicates With the chamber by means of the ports a, one or more on cach side of the seat. In the drawing three are represented, which number is indicated by the corresponding ports bin the valves G, figs. 2 and 3. It will be seen t l-t these valves are flat and circular in shape, and fitted tightly tothe shaft or rod ITI, fig. 1, Plate II, and to which they are properly secured, one on cach side of the seat, so that the ports in the valves conform relatively to the ports in the scat as well as to each other. The short end of' the shaft is fitted to and supported by the thimblenut I, and in which it is made to oscillate byl the following-described apparatus: y

Secured to the projecting end ot' the rock-shaft H, and close to the chamber, is the vertical rocking-arm I', fig. 4, Plate I, the peculiar shape of the upper end or head of which is seen in g. 1.l '.Ihe lower end of this arm is embraced bythe springs J, and by means of which it is kept in-a vertical position, as shown in g. 1. In this position the valves referred to are closed. K is a tri-armed lever, and fitted loosely to the extreme end of the rockshaft, and by which said shaft and valves are operated by the pawls L L,pivoted to the upper arms of the triangular lever. The free ends of these pawls rest upon the head of the lever I when the valve is close-d, as indicated in g. 1. The dependent arm of the lever K being connected to the eccentric ofthe engine, it will be evident that on moving the arm in the direction shown in tig. 2 the pawl L' will slip from the head of the oscillating lever I to the notch in the free end of the pawl. On the reverse action of the lever the pawl will force the head 1 to the left, and thereby .cause the rock-shaft to turn and open the ports ct, g. 1, Plate II, through which the steam will pass into the hollow valve-seat E,i`roin thence into the cylinder. When the ports are open thus far the pawl is forced by the yoke M from the head' of. the lever I', which immediately returns to its vertical position by the action of the spring J, exerted against the lower end of the lever, and thus closing the valve and shutting o the steam. On the reverse action of the eccentric the pawl L drops against the head, and forces it to the right, and thereby opens the ports a, through which the steam enters the cylinder as before, and when opened the same distance the pawl slipsfrom the head, and the lever returns to its vertical position bythe action of the spring J, exerted against the opposite side of the lever, and so on alternately. The arm is moved from left to right, and from right to left, and at each time returning to its vertical position ,before caught by the pawl; hence the ports are opened alternately by the oscillation of the valves" by means `of' the levers and pawls, and closed by the spring exerted against the lower end of the lever I', by means of which the shaft and valves are made to oscillate. It will be evident that the volume of steam admitted to the cylinder will be in proportion to the opening of the valve. This measure is regulated by the yoke M, referred to in tigs. 1- and 3, and which is attached to the governor by the lever- N. As the balls'oftle governor expand it causes the end of the lever to rise upward, and at the same time raises up the yoke M, to lwhich it is conneeted. The upper end of this yoke being made slanting or pointed, the pawls slide upon it, and are thereby prevented from catching asdeeply on the edge ofthe head as they would do in the absence of the Yoke, hence they are forcedfrom the head sooner, so that the oscillation ofthe valves is correspondingly lessened as the yoke is raised up by the expanding of the governor, caused by the increased speed of the engine. 'lhe amount of steam is thereby diminished, and the speed of the engine checked. On the other hand, when the steam is low, the balls drop, and the yoke in consequence allows the pawls to act longer on the head, and this increasing the degree of oscillation and the action ofthe valves, allowing an increased or full opening of the ports, according to the amount of steam. 'lhus the action of the valves is readily and at all times controlled by the governor. O is also a yoke, the construct-ion and purpose of which are fully described in a patent formerly granted to me' for the same. i

The peculiar construction and arrangement of the valves are such as to make them equally balanced, the effective pressure ef the steam being alike on both, it filling the chamber and surroundingr the valves and seat,

and through which it must pass. in order to reach the cylinder. It will be observed that the valve G is a trifle smaller than G. This is in order to equalize the pressure of the steam, as the additional pressure exerted upon the end of the rock-shaft enclosed in the thimblefnu't would be more than that exerted on the face of thc valve G- were the valvesboth of a size, hence the pressurewould be unequal. By thus diminishing the diameter of the valve they are more nearly balanced. In my former patent the valve was closed immediately aftei being opened by a weighted ball acting vertically upon the rock-shaft by the intervention of a bail and toes projecting laterally from the shaftZ but that arrangement could be used only on stationary engines. 'lo marincengines it could not be applied, as the weight would not act when the vessel was thrown to one side or careened over to an angle of even slight degree; but by lthe use of springs in the manner as above described it can make no possible difference as to the position ofthe engine or boat The springswill operate and close the valves as readily and et'ectually in oneposition as another; hence it can be applied to marine as well as to engines stationary. Should circumstances render it expedient to work the engine without the governor and valves, it can easily be done by throwing open the steam ports by the screw P. This screw willho'ld the lever I from oscillating, or rather from returning to its vertical position when thrown to the left byi the pawl, and thereby keep the valves open at full port or less, as the case may be7 while the pawls will continue'to slide` forward and bach- Ward upon the endet' the yoke without catching the head; and thus a full head of steam may be used by throwing ofthe action of the valve and governor, by this easy and direct application of the screw.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire lto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The arrangement of the valve-seat E and valves Gr, when operating conjointly in the manner substantially as described.

2. The springs J, as arranged in combination with the lever I', rock-shaft H, and steam valve or valves, forthe purpose and in the manner as set forth.

3. The screw P, as arranged in combination with the lever I, shaft H, and valves Gr, as and for the purpose substantially as set forth.

ROB. SANDERSON.

Witnesses J. H. BUrmIDon, J. HOLMES. 

